- land rover is planning to expand its defender lineup with a smaller entry-level ("baby") defender along with a $100,000-plus fully electric defender sport model.
- autocar reports that the entry-level model will arrive in 2021, but the luxurious electric model is at least four years off.
- the baby defender will be built on a platform that will support both turbocharged and 48-volt hybrid powertrains.
land rover is expected to expand the lineup for its popular new defender suv by adding an entry-level model along with a more luxurious electric version. the move is set to capitalize on the brand's already defined range rover and discovery lineups.
autocar reports that the entry-level defender model will arrive in 2021. it'll be a five-door, believed to be code-named l860, and is expected to start at the equivalent of around $33,000. its design is predicted to be based on that of the new defender, so it can be considered a baby defender.
the l860 will be built on an entirely new platform that will have the ability to support a plug-in-hybrid system, and it's expected to arrive with the new turbocharged or 48-volt hybrid 1.5-liter three-cylinder, likely with front-wheel drive. four-cylinder engines and four-wheel-drive systems aren't out of the picture, though, according to autocar.
the baby defender is meant to rival the likes of other small luxury suvs such as the bmw x1 and audi q3, and it will likely make its way to u.s. shores.
additionally, the aforementioned luxury version of the defender is expected to arrive in around four years. autocar expects it to be launched as a fully electric model starting at upward of $100,000, although we believe that gasoline-powered models will be available as well.